PULLMAN, Wash. – For the second time in as many games, the Sun Devil women's basketball team was in position to come away with a quality road win before falling short in the final minutes. Despite a pair of stellar offensive performances from Jade Loville and Jaddan Simmons, the Sun Devils lost at Washington State 65-58 on Friday night.
Simmons led all scorers with a career-high 22 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Seven of the 10 shots Simmons attempted in the final 20 minutes swished through the net, including a trio of triples.
Loville, ASU's leading scorer, helped ASU stay within striking distance in the first half, accounting for 13 of her 21 points during the first 20 minutes.
Simmons and Loville also contributed three assists and three steals each. Mael Gilles added six points and was active on the defensive end where she collected team highs in steals (four) and blocks (three). Gilles was also ASU's top performer on the boards where she grabbed seven rebounds. As a team, the Sun Devils were edged in rebounding by the Cougars 29-27.
The Sun Devils (12-10, 4-6 Pac-12) jumped out to a 9-3 lead a little more than two minutes into the game. The Cougars' response was swift as they score nine straight points to take a 12-9 lead. A 3-pointer by Loville tied the game at 12-12 and also provided a portent of what was to come: time and again the Sun Devils battled back from modest deficits. Although the Cougars (17-8, 9-5) did not lead by more than nine points at any point of the game, they never trailed over the last 33-plus minutes.
For the Sun Devils, it was a frustrating evening as they were within one or two possessions for much of the game and even pulled even with the Cougars late in the third quarter (42-42) and again with 6:37 remaining in the game (48-48). In the latter instance, the Cougars answered by scoring the next six points.
The Sun Devils did not stop fighting as Loville's jumper with 2:35 on the clock got the Sun Devils within two, 56-54.
After the Cougars went up by four again, the Sun Devils had a pair of chances to stay get within two. In both instances a missed free throw allowed the Cougars to keep a three-point lead. ASU would not get any closer as the Cougars scored the last four points of the game.
In ASU's last two games, Simmons has averaged 19.0 points and while shooting 62 percent (13-21) from the floor.
The Sun Devils play their last regular season road game at Washington on Sunday (12 p.m. PST/1 p.m. MST).The game can be seen on Pac-12 Arizona and heard on KDUS AM 1060.
Simmons led all scorers with a career-high 22 points, 19 of which came in the second half. Seven of the 10 shots Simmons attempted in the final 20 minutes swished through the net, including a trio of triples.
Loville, ASU's leading scorer, helped ASU stay within striking distance in the first half, accounting for 13 of her 21 points during the first 20 minutes.
Simmons and Loville also contributed three assists and three steals each. Mael Gilles added six points and was active on the defensive end where she collected team highs in steals (four) and blocks (three). Gilles was also ASU's top performer on the boards where she grabbed seven rebounds. As a team, the Sun Devils were edged in rebounding by the Cougars 29-27.
The Sun Devils (12-10, 4-6 Pac-12) jumped out to a 9-3 lead a little more than two minutes into the game. The Cougars' response was swift as they score nine straight points to take a 12-9 lead. A 3-pointer by Loville tied the game at 12-12 and also provided a portent of what was to come: time and again the Sun Devils battled back from modest deficits. Although the Cougars (17-8, 9-5) did not lead by more than nine points at any point of the game, they never trailed over the last 33-plus minutes.
For the Sun Devils, it was a frustrating evening as they were within one or two possessions for much of the game and even pulled even with the Cougars late in the third quarter (42-42) and again with 6:37 remaining in the game (48-48). In the latter instance, the Cougars answered by scoring the next six points.
The Sun Devils did not stop fighting as Loville's jumper with 2:35 on the clock got the Sun Devils within two, 56-54.
After the Cougars went up by four again, the Sun Devils had a pair of chances to stay get within two. In both instances a missed free throw allowed the Cougars to keep a three-point lead. ASU would not get any closer as the Cougars scored the last four points of the game.
In ASU's last two games, Simmons has averaged 19.0 points and while shooting 62 percent (13-21) from the floor.
The Sun Devils play their last regular season road game at Washington on Sunday (12 p.m. PST/1 p.m. MST).The game can be seen on Pac-12 Arizona and heard on KDUS AM 1060.